A Moons Tale
by jolyhall
Summary: Nine years have past since the defeat of Galaxia. Whats been happening and a new call to arms?
1. Introduction - A Moons Tale

Thoughts from the author

Jo Hall  
May 2002  
E-mail : jolyhall@yahoo.co.uk

Sitting on buses is very dangerous, it gives you time to think to dream and think about doing things you know you shouldn't do. Like starting to write fan fiction for Sailor moon half way though a degree course on Psychology. But I was thinking about a Buffy, Angel, Sailor moon, and number of other TV programs and in my twisted way began to see a common theme. Different groups are engaged in a battle to prevent the take over of our world by forces from another dimension, each has powers appropriate to deal with what they face.

One partially boring trip on the University bus (They were digging up the road again.) Began to think about Stargate SG1 episode "Worm Hole – Extreme" and one line in it that when something like this :-

Jack : "And we are letting this go ahead!"  
Hammond : "Yes because is gives the USAF deniability."

What about other characters? Wouldn't having TV series, comic books, films give you a large amount of deniability? What would you think if the Sailor Senshi put the idea of Sailor moon into Naoko Takeuchi's mind? What if the adventures seen on TV had a basis in truth? If that is so, what are Tuskino Usagi, Mizuno Ami, Hino Rei etc doing now?

It all started when they were 14 and at the end in episode 200 Usagi, said she was 16. In the first year of high school.

Another 10 minutes (we moved about 30 meters) from these random thoughts came this short time line :-

1989: September : Usagi is called as sailor moon  
1991 :(May?) : Final battle with Galaxia  
1991 :June 30 : Usagi's 17th birthday   
1991 :September 7th : start final year of high school  
1991 :Naoko Takeuchi produces the first Sailor V manga  
1992 :(Jan) Naoko Takeuchi starts drawing Sailor moon and is rapidly picked up for amine  
1992 :May 22 Graduation from high school  
1992 : September : College and further adventures in the young-adult world.

My assumption is that the Japanese school system is based on the American system, with a long summer break and long terms separated by short holidays. 

Ok we have a time line, now where do we want the senshi to be? Assuming Usagi and friends were 16 in 1991 this means in Y2000 they would be 25, Mamoru 29, Michiru & Haruka about 27-28 (Could not find a clear age for the two of them) and Hotaru would be (Physically) 21.

I have in my mind a number of differing stories largely following one characters growth and change though these nine years. So all these stories are the thoughts of senshi the day before a dinner party/meeting called by Setsuna. In these stories I make reference to Jeff Branchs stories "Blood on the Moon" and "The Frankenstein Syndrome" 

These can be found at be found at Moon Dragons Lair at http://www.geocities.com/daman13187/moondragonslair.htm  
Or at Jeffs own page http://www.geocities.com/scribeofthemoon/

Reading these is not necessary but would be helpful for you, (the fact there damn good stories as well) They also do not quite fit into the continuity I am working for but the stories do give some idea of what I am looking for.

My thanks go to Fluffy and Warwolf for their beta reading skills. This is my first serious attempt at Fanfic so I hope everyone out there cuts me some slack.

And Finally

Sailor Moon and all related characters are the property of Takeuchi Naoko, Toei Animation and DIC. I do this strictly for entertainment purposes, not copyright infringement. Thanks Naoko for producing such interesting characters and letting us all play with them.

I will put them back in the toy box when I have finished. 

* * *

A Moons Tale

Rating : PG (Swear words and implied sexual relationship, just to be on the safe side)   
Author : Jo Hall - May 2002

Prologue

My name is Tuskino Usagi, I am 25 years old, I work for the Ford motor company as an assistant to the Director of personnel for our Japanese factory's and associated company's. I am married to a wonderful man Chiba Mamoru and we live in a two bedroom flat in the Jubblan district of Tokyo. It is April 15 2000 the day before the Tokyo Triathlon.  Today I train lightly, eat my 5000 cals in carbs and protein and tomorrow morning, I race.  Then at night Mamoru and myself go to Makoto & Ami's for a meal with our friends.

And feel these with be the last normal day for my friends and me! Perhaps normal is too strong a word for it, but normal for us is very different than any one else.

Setsuna left a message with Ami to call everyone together. Makoto took it as an excuse to cook a large meal for everyone, which myself and Mamoru agreed whole heartily too. But Setsuna is not known for her party going.  She rarely comes way from the time gate and Osiris without very good reason.

And what that reason is frightens me.

For nine years the Sailor Senshi have lived their lives, built up new friends and relationships. In the last year I have become Sailor moon twice in anger, once to defeat an Demon summoned by black magic, which killed its summoner and threaten to kill many others. The other time was to point out to a group of Russian mafia our bit of Tokyo does not have organised crime in it for some VERY good reasons.

Our world changed after I defeated Galaxia back in 1991 and it has now started to change again. 

I guess I am not making much sense.  I suppose I should begin at the beginning.


	2. Chapter one - Party

Chapter one

_"The sign of a good party is when you can only remember it in flashbacks!"  
Anon Drunk Student_

June 1st 1991

With a groan Kino Makoto came back to consciousness, and regretted it. She groaned again as her eyes were stabbed by the bright June sunlight coming in though the semi-open blinds, the normally gentle sound of the air-con pounded her ears like the marching of an army on gravel road. 

Makoto had a hangover, or was the hangover having her? 

Getting up from the futon that she was lying on, discovering that she had a stiff neck from sleeping with her head back. She looked around the room, scattered around the room was the 'remains' of her friends. On a futon in the corner furthest from the sunlight was Mamoru & Usagi, Mamoru was face down in the futon with Usagi sprawled over Mamoru's body, surprisingly it was Mamoru who was snoring quietly and Usagi was silent. 

Against the wall near the now silent stereo system was Ami and Setsuna, partly propped up by each other and a large pillow. The two had been discussing (well slurring to each other) about what music to put on next, when the 20-octane saki that Haruka had been serving up had finally got them. 

The other two inner senshi were crashed out on a futon near the food table, Minako orange sun dress had a large chocolate stain down the front as she slept on her back with a chocolate stained smile. Rei was curled up next to Minako hands under her head. A perfect image of someone sleeping only spoiled by large amount of drool coming from her mouth. 

Of the others at the party, Minako remembered, Hotaru had headed to bed early with a faint look of disgust at the antics of her older friends. Of Michiru and Haruka there was no sign, they probably made it to bed. 

With bare feet and as stealthy as 6'1" frame and hangover allowed, Makoto headed for the kitchen, although she was convinced that the only thing to wake her friends up at this stage would be small war! Quietly closing the door behind her, she opened the fridge and began to drink her way though a 2-litre carton of fresh orange juice. 

The party had been publicly billed as a celebration of the end of first year of high school. In truth it was as Makoto had put it, "This is a party to celebrate we managed to fucking survive and surprisingly win!" Usagi had another reason to celebrate, her much beloved Mamoru had "returned" from the USA. Which for some reason meant she missed School on Wednesday with a stomach bug, she had returned to school on Thursday, looking flushed and tired. The only thing that spoiled that image was a smile on her face that looked like surgery was required to remove it. Even the sudden quiz that had been sprung on them failed to dent it. 

Makoto started on her second carton of orange juice and for a while held the cool carton against her forehead as she tried to remember the events of the night/morning before and what sequence they came in. After a few minutes the kitchen door opened and pale faced and dishevelled Usagi came in. Wordlessly Makoto handed over the juice carton, from which Usagi drank until it was empty. 

"How do you feel Usa?" asked Makoto. 

Usagi fixed a slightly blood shot eye on the Makoto for a moment, "I feel, *cough* like ate all the sand of a beach and I feel like my brain is trying to get out of my skull, but otherwise fine and why do we feel we have to ask such stupid questions when its obvious that other person is not well!." 

Makoto with a shrug of her shoulders "Well I suppose it's polite?" 

"Well I don't do polite at, "glances at clock on wall, "11 O'clock on Saturday morning." Usagi opened the fridge removed another carton of orange juice and with all the grace of a sack of potatoes fell into a chair by the kitchen table, resting her head on the table. Makoto removed milk from the fridge and moved over to the stove. 

"What ya making?" came the voice from the table as Makoto started heating the milk. 

"Porridge." 

"PORRIDGE!" Said Usagi pulling her head up from the table and wincing was the pain flashed across her forehead as her body told her that quick movements were a bad idea. 

"Yes, porridge with strawberry's, sugar and some potassium salts to help us get over drink, that and its easy on the stomach." 

"Ooookkkayyy, never heard of that before." 

"Its something the one of the chef's at the restaurant below my apartment told me about. Thought I would give it a go." 

Silence returned as Usagi put her head back down and Makoto resumed her cooking. 

"CRASH" went the kitchen door as a green hued Minako ran though in a kitchen in a blur of blond hair. Another crash was heard at the end of the corridor at the bathroom door closed, followed shortly by the faint sound of someone being noisily sick. Both Usagi and Makoto's stomachs churned in sympathy. 

"Well that will have woken everyone up." Commented Makoto. Usagi rolled her eyes and put her head on the table again. 

"I cannot help but think I have done something silly." 

"What's new about that!" said Rei coming in though the now open door. Usagi lifted her head off her arms, poked her tongue out briefly at the young priestess and then laid it back down again. 

Makoto stopped her stirring, "You know I have that feeling too?" 

"What feeling is that?" asked Ami as she came in though the door. 

"That they done something silly." Said Rei passing a carton of juice to Ami from the fridge before sitting next to Usagi. 

Ami paused and lent by the fridge as she tried to alcohol-fogged brain to work probably. "I get that feeling to. If I could remember." 

At this point the kitchen door opened and Mamoru came in though the door. 

"Anyone got any aspirin?" 

Everyone stared at him as around the kitchen memories returned. Adorning Mamoru face was 8 different sets of lip marks in brilliant red lipstick, with his left cheek baring a game of noughts and crosses (curtsy of Hotaru). 

"What you all staring at?" Then he caught his refection in the window. 

"ARRRRGGGGHHHHHH!" 

The room dissolved in laughter at this point. 

* * *

The laughter wound down just as slightly green face Minako staggered back in the room as Mamoru leaned over the sink scrubbing at his face with a cloth and mumbling about women, parties and getting hold of the person who invented water proof lipstick. 

"Well if that's the worst that happened, I live with this party." Commented Rei, wiping her eyes. Laughter seems to be good for clearing up hangovers she noted 

Usagi got out of her chair, walked over to Mamoru and gently pulled his face to hers, and proceeded to give him a kiss that lasted a full 10 seconds and at the end of it brought a dreamy smile to Mamoru's face. 

"Well princess can we have all have one of those?" Came Haruka voice as she entered the room dressed in a large white bathrobe. 

Usagi smiled evilly and came over and placed her hand on Harukas stomach and twisting a blond lock around one finger said "Why Haruka do you think your man enough?" The sound of Harukas jaw dropping was almost audible. "Thought not!" Patting her stomach below her hand and walking away. Haruka's jaw snapped shut as her face turned bright red. The room yet again was filled with laughter. 

"I cannot get much past you now, can I princess!" 

"No," Usagi face changed "Is the food ready yet Makoto, I'm hungry!" 

"Well some things never change!" said Rei. 

Breakfast/lunch was started and at the end of porridge, fresh fruit and a half a bottle of aspirin during this time the remaining members of the house joined the group around the kitchen table. At the end Mamoru bent over and kissed Usagi soundly. 

"Excuse me beloved, I have an appointment at 12:30, I better go." 

"Are you OK to drive?" 

Mamoru paused "Yes I think I passed out around 1am, I should be fine." 

"Be safe Mamoru-chan." 

"I will be, thank you for your hospitality." He said bowing to Haruka and Michiru, Michiru rose and followed him to the door. 

"Well what are we going to do today then." Asked Minako. 

"You are all welcome to come and enjoy the pool and hot tub, Michiru and myself find steaming ourselves in the tub with a few cold drinks a wonderful cure for when we have over-done things." 

Usagi looked around at the other girls, and got nods from all. "Sounds like a plan!" 

* * *

"You know, I think we should hold all senshi meetings in here." Usagi commented as she laid back in the tub. 

"Wouldn't hear any augments from me!" said Makoto. 

"Hedonist!" 

"Yep pyro, that's me!" 

"Whats the matter with a little Hedonism now and then?" asked Setsuna slipping into the water bearing a floating tray containing further drinks. 

"Thank you Setsuna." Said Usugi and raising her voice. "Hey guys drinks!" as she called down to Ami, Michiru and Hotaru who were swimming in the pool. 

"Be up in a minute!" came the call back. 

"Water senshi." Commented Haruka. 

Setsuna lightly slapped Harukas arm, "Now you know Hotaru needs as much exercise as she can get, that and Michiru does well to be away from your bad influence once in a while." 

Haruka's left eyebrow came up, "is it pick on Haruka day today?" The rest of girls in the pool giggled. 

"We just have not forgiven you for that car fuel served up to as saki last night." Said Minako waving her finger in her direction. 

"Hey I got that from a very reputable chain." 

"Of gas stations." Came a quiet voice from Makoto's direction. 

"Setsuna," said Usagi's voice cutting across the others, "is there any sign of another enemy yet, before we start fighting with our selves." She asked with a smile and the others had the decency to look embarrassed. 

Setsuna's smile faded, "Yes princess, I do have some news, some unexpected news." Usagi's hand raised to stop Setsuna. Her face changed from that of gentle humour to one of complete seriousness. 

Since her battle with Galaxia, Usagi's personality had changed. Most of the time she was the same of Usagi, slightly dizzy, prone to cry over anything, impulsive and still famous for huge appetite. But in moments like this a change came over her. The future Neo-Princess Serenity made an appearance, calm, reserved and focused, the leader that Rei had nagged her to be. And it was this Usagi that called to the three in the pool, in a clear voice, which was instantly obeyed as the three slipped into the tub without a further word. 

Usagi turned her eyes on Setsuna. "Please continue." 

"Thank you Princess. " bowing her head to Usagi. "Time as you know is a fickle beast, but myself and I Osiris have examined the time stream and have seen that the treats we face for the next few years are from here on Earth not from outer space or different times. The problem is that our activities have not gone unnoticed even after the diligent actions of you and Venus to keep our actions secret or at least to be blamed on something more 'normal'. The problem is that Crystal Tokyo and the reformation of the Moon Kingdom is still some ways off in time so we have to be very careful about who knows about us. Do not ask me how long until we get to that time, I do not know or more correctly there are too many different possible futures to give you an anyway accurate answer. Despite what I have said we are no way off the hook as far as enemies, new ones will rise but they will be different to those we have seen before and new methods and new skills will have to be found to deal with them. The inners have already experienced something like what I am talking about." 

"The island." Ami commented quietly. 

"Correct, sometimes the depth of human depravity even out does the horrors of Negaverse and the wanton destruction of Galaxia. The problem is others will wish to control us, to use us for there own aims. Imagine the use to secret services around the world if you could control a girl who can turn herself invisible, change memories and shoot laser beams from her hands. MI6 would love to find Sailor V again." 

"Is that why Artemis had me destroy my passport?" Spoke Minako. Setsuna nodded. 

"He erased any digital trail back to you via passport and emigration reports Aino Minako has never left Japan as far as the records are concerned. Investigations by the Tokyo police keep failing to turn up anything, due mainly to Lieutenant Fukoda actions. You made a good friend that day. But Luna and Artemis can only do so much and powerful people are beginning to look towards Tokyo and wondering, what if? 

Silence fell. The only sound was the sound of the water recycling though the tub. Usagi's face held a thoughtful frown. 

"Setsuna does anything need to be done today?" 

Setsuna shook her head. 

"Then today we finish of enjoying today. Minako I trust you will inform Artemis about this." Minako nodded," I will speak with Luna and Mamoru. Everyone it is time to think about what has been said. I need ideas and if possible plans, Michiru & Haruka you are in America for two weeks soon, I believe?" 

"Yes we leave on Wednesday." 

"Hotaru, if you need a break from Setsuna, please feel free come and stay with me a few days. Everyone we will gather three weeks today at 11 O'clock to discuss this further. Despite Setsuna's reassurances that nothing need be done now, I feel rapid action and thinking is required." 

"Yes Princess." They all responded. 

"Haruka, is there any of that rocket fuel you call Saki still around? I think I need a drink!" 

* * *


	3. Chapter three - Evolution and Revelation...

**Random jottings from Jo**

"Jo, we really need to get you a car!" 

"Why?" 

"Cos you need to get a life and stop thinking about sailor moon." 

"Gee, trek boy I never knew you cared." 

"Hey leave the great god Star Trek alone, well apart from Voyager, any bugger can have that!" 

"We agree on something, if they had some hot sex episodes with 7-of-9 and Janeway, I might have watched it. Heck anything resembling a decent story line would have done." 

"Never would happen, American TV got its head stuck up so far up its ass about, love sex and all that shit." 

"Yah look what they did to sailor moon, Michiru, Haruka cousins! Jesus what were thinking!" 

"As doc points out to me, there is such a bunch of conservative people over there, who have not encountered an original idea since they were born. That and the few that are worried that fire might be a bad idea, and the wheel jeus, don't go there." 

"So is the new chapter any good?" 

"Not bad, keep jumping writing styles don't you." 

"I am studying Psychology, not English." 

"Fair enough, but wares the sex and action?" 

"Bit of action in the next episode, sex well…" 

"Ok, I get it. Anyway whos round is it anyway." 

"Yours Trek boy!" 

"Shit!" 

* * *

Chapter Three

Evolution and Revelations

__

Try not to become a man of success, But rather a man of value.

_Albert Einstein_

"Next time we drive to Burger King." Complained Ota. 

"Next time I eat Luna's food. Chizu was not kidding when she said about her dads cooking." 

"Next time Usa, I am electing you to be camp cook." 

"Ho no you don't, next time I bring my friend Makoto with us and let her do the cooking." 

"I think I will retreat to my tent with a bottle of anti-acid and draw my plans for revenge. Good night Usa." 

"Good night Ota." Said Usagi, watching the older woman stagger to her feet and stagger of to her tent. She looked down at the slightly smug looking black cat basking in the evening sun. "Come on Luna, I need to go and try and walk off this so called dinner." 

Usagi, began a brisk walk around the outside edge of the camp site, which was accompanied by several loud and very un-lady like belches. After about 20 minutes she came to a small car park on the edge of the site, its sole occupants, were two benches, a litter bin and a rather batted VW mini van. The excise had left her feeling considerably better, so sat down on a bench. The sun had just set and the sky was moving from clear blue to the deep purple as the first stars of the night put in an appearance. 

"You know I am very proud of you." Came Luna's voice from her lap. 

"Why, cos I haven't fell down or anything." Commented Usagi, rummaging around in her subspace pocket and pulling out a bottle of water.. 

"No not that, well it does make a nice change, but no you have been very good with the children. I must admit I have never seen you so confident." 

"Dealing with bunch of well behaved scouts, who biggest problem is going to be find the indigestion tablets is somewhat different to a leading the a group of superheros, specially Rei." Taking a gulp of water, she smiled, "Little miss big ego. But I love them all any know. Even Haruka, after that booze she served up at party though I did have my doubts." 

"I should tell you off about that." 

"I know, I know, we are too young, etc, etc. But we all needed to blow of some steam." Usagi rested her head in her hand. "We are all not the same as we were before the three lights came into our lifes. Galaxia may have been defeated and the Starlights have returned home. But the after effects of what happened in that time have yet to play themselves out fully yet." She added thoughtfully. 

"What, oh I think I see." Said Luna thinking it though. 

"Pluto is playing an interesting game. She revealed to us a threat just at the time when it made the maximum impact. Mina should really take lessons from her you know. I feel the threat she brought to us, was somewhat premature but by preparing us early for it the greater number of escape routes we have. Also it took our minds off what happened." She paused, taking another drink from her bottle. 

"I lost all my senshi again; they sacrificed themselves again for me. It is a humbling experience to find nine people who lay there lives down for you, because they believe in you. I must find away to become worthy of the trust and the debt I own to them. Ami, Minako, Rei and Makoto have died three times for me. The others have made as great sacrifices. Each time I managed to get them back but that must effect them some how." She raised her head from hand and looked up brightly shining moon. "Now it is my time to ensure that their sacrifices are repaid for full." 

"Usagi, what happened to you," asked Luna in a serious tone looking at her ward again. "I mean during the battle with Galaxia, something more than you have said happened." 

She tilted her head back and laughed, closing her eyes and letting her face bathe in the moon light! 

"Everything and Nothing, All things and no one….. In an instant, I knew sailor Galaxia and in that instant she knew me. It was a moment of revelation." A tear leaked from each eye and began their journey down her face." 

Silence fell. 

Eventually her face drooped downwards to the ground. 

And in a whispered voice she added "and I will spend a lifetime trying to understand that moment!" 

Silence fell again, Luna moved and snuggled in Usagi's lap, rubbing her head and purring as much as she could, wishing yet again, she had arms to hold her charge and had the words to help. 

The sky grew darker and eventually the silence was broken by the sounds of foot steps and sound of men laughing. Usagi looked up as four men emerged from the woodland near to her. 

Usa, shook herself, the moment was broken. She lifted Luna of her lap and picked up the empty bottle and went over to the bin. 

"Hello Princess, you seem up set!" came a rough voice. 

Usagi span around, three of the men now stood behind her. 

"O, I am sorry." The middle one of three said, did we frighten you, sooo sorrryy!" the others laughed. 

Usagi, swallowed her shock and fear "What do you want?" 

"Wellll, since it seems your boyfriend has left you here on your own, we thought you might like us to show you a good time around here." He smiled, it was not a pleasant one. 

Usagi held her head up, "My boyfriend is back in Tokyo and don't think I what 'good' time with you." And she stepped left to move away. The man on her left immediately moved to intercept her movement and with a flick of his wrist opened a butterfly knife in his right hand. Seeing the flash of metal in the moonlight, Usagi gasped as the other two men produced knifes as well. 

"Well I guess we are going to have to insist, oh and don't think about screaming princess, I don't mind my women if there bleeding or not, in fact the bloods kind of a turn on don't you think." All three men were grinning evilly now as the van pulled up behind Usagi. 

Suddenly a cry of like a banshee came as Luna jumped onto the back on the leader, her familiar many have not much to say, but she had sharp claws, which she sunk into his back and head. With a cry of pain he reached back and grabed the moon cat and though her on the floor. With a thud. 

"Stupid animal!" he commented as he raised he boot up to stamp it down on the stunned cats head. 

For Usagi time stopped.. 

Flashes of memory 

"There comes a time when you must decide if you want to be the victim for the rest of your life!" Woman on television, talking about her violent husband. 

"What does not kill us, only makes us stronger!" 

"Grow up sailor moon!" Sailor Mars 

"I think it is. And I speak from experience. Every night when I go home after a hard day on the streets, bone tired in body and spirit after wallowing in the filth human nature produces, I ask myself the same thing: is it worth it? Then, I see my wife and daughter, the lights of my life and I say: hell yes! For every dirtbag like Bullinger and the Mitsumos, there are millions of decent people who struggle each and every day to make this world a better place. They don't have super powers like you do, but they do have every bit as much desire and devotion to do what's good and right. Those are the people I fight for, Miss Moon. If you give up now, the bad guys win, and we all lose." 

"Grow up sailor moon!" Sailor Mars 

"We cannot choose who we are, we can only choose what we can be, for you my daughter, you must be warrior, queen, lover and friend. You must fight for what is right, rule by rules you set, love like there is only today and honour each your friends like they were your only one. Be all these things but most of be true to who are and what you become!" 

"GROW UP USAGI" 

Usagi felt the change and welcomed it, in an instant many things became clear. The Ginsuishou reacted, a bright light shone from her throat, causing those in front of her to pause and shield there eyes a moment's distraction. It was enough. 

Usagi jumped and executed a perfect flying kick, planting both booted feet in the face of the unbalanced man, he head snapped back and blood flew from his nose. He landed with a sicking crunch on the gravel of the car park. Usagi landed on both feet crouched down and paused as one of men rushed with his knife aiming to plunge it into her back. At the last second she again jumped up and in a spinning twist, smashed her left hand into the right side of the mans head. Then using the mans falling body as a push off she headed for the final up right man who stood in awe of what he had just witnessed. She flew past and grabbed one his arms, back flipped, planted her feet on the ground and with a heave of upper body, pulled the man clean off his feet and sent him head first into the side VW van, leaving an large head shaped dint where he had hit it. 

Her eyes fell on the man in van, he was attempting to pull and object out concealment. It was a twin barrelled shotgun, which attempted to point in Usagi direction. Without thinking about it, she summoned and energy disk the size of a small plate and threw it at the man. As she brought the shotgun to bear, the disk cut the shotgun cleanly down the middle in the horizontal plane and then disappeared, the top half of the gun slid to the ground. The man stared at the now useless gun as Usagi, jumped over and punched him cleanly in the face, knocking him out cold like his friends. 

Silence fell, the whole fight had taken about 5 seconds. 

"Usagi." Came a weak call. 

She jumped over scooping up Luna up in her arms. 

"DON'T YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN" she screamed and then burst into tears in lunas fur. 

"Its alright, my skinfield took most of the impact on the ground." 

"IT WOULDN'T HAVE TAKEN A 250 POUND MAN STAMPING ON YOUR HEAD THOUGH!" 

"*GULP* but I had to do something, I could not let anything like that happen to you." 

*Bleep, Bleep * 

"Usagi your communicator." Usagi sniffed mightily and flipped open the communicator's lid, Mamoru's face appeared on the screen. 

"Usa my love are you alright, no you aren't I can see that, what's happened." 

"Its all right, some men tried to attack me, they failed. Badly!" She pointed the camera outwards and did a pan for the area. Showing the battered remains of her attackers. 

"You do that?" asked Mamoru. 

Usagi nodded numbly. 

"Do you want me to come out there?" he asked gently. 'Oh sooo tempting' she thought, "No I will be fine. I just have to clean up some litter and then I am heading back to camp and staying there." 

"Are you sure?" 

"Yes my darling wonderful man! I will need a hug when I get back, though." 

"Done." 

"Love you." 

"I love you too." 

She closed the lid, Luna was now sitting her feet licking her bruises. "What do you mean 'clean up some litter'?" 

For the first time in a while, Usagi smiled. "I'll show you!" 

* * *

Some hours later on a road crossing the mountains four rather bruised men (in both body and ego) we driving home in a VW van. 

"I swear that little bitch will pay for that!" 

"Yah I think we should get everyone together and go and visit that site and find her and lay into her!" 

"That and I want to know what she did with my best trousers!" 

"I want to know what she did with all our trousers!" 

"Bitch!" 

"Who's that!" commented the driver as the headlights picked out a white and black clad figure in the road. 

"Some dumb ass from a fancy dress party!" 

The figure raised what looked like a staff, which began to glow. 

"What the fuck…" 

A ball of violet colour energy fired out of the top of the staff straight towards the van. 

"Shit!" cried the driver and swerved to avoid it. 

* SNAP * 

The steering wheel now spun in his hands. 

"Oh…." 

The out of control van now ploughed a short incline, though a barrier and then over a sheer cliff. 

Sailor Pluto walked over to edge of the cliff and watched the van plunge downwards followed the scene of the van crashing down nose first into the bottom of the valley bellow. It rolled a couple of times and came to a halt. A small fire then broke out as the engine caught fire with the fuel spilling all over it. 

"Mess with my princess will you!" She said. She then turned and faded from sight. 

* * *

After an restless night and not a few tears, Usagi woke about 7am and rose to try and get her team up to cook breakfast. She was surprised to find Makoto was by the campfire busy cooking breakfast for everyone, at her feet eating a plate of sausage was Artemis. 

"Mako-chan, what are you doing here?" Usagi asked. 

Makoto looked around and checked that no one was within hearing range. 

"Princess, "Usagi eye brows shot up, the girls did not refer to her in that way unless it was considered very important, "your beloved called us all last night after what he called 'an incident'. We discussed what had happened and myself and the girls teleported in this morning dropped myself and Artemis off before returning." 

"Makoto, I know the senshi are very sensitive to my safety but it was a incident that could have happened to anyone. I full admit my night has not been comfortable, nor will it for some nights to come, I think." 

"Usa, Rei also had a vision last night, she could not give any details but it upset her enough to be about to call us all, Mamoru's message beat her to it. She sensed change around you in her vision." 

"Something else did happen last night, but I don't know what." Usagi bit her lip. "Hold still Makoto and let me try something." 

She placed one hand each side of Makoto's hips "I am going to try and lift you Ok, so I should struggle for a minute, turn bright red and fall over, right." 

She lifted and Makoto was lifted about 10 cm of the floor, without appearing to strain. 

"Oh.." went a surprised Makoto. 

Usagi put her down. "I hoped I would have not been able to do that!" She closed her eyes and seemed to sag down on herself. Makoto reached over and pulled her in a hug. 

"What ever it is princess, we will work it out!" She said and then kissed the top of Usagi head. 

Usagi enjoyed the hug for a few moments and then commented wiping a couple of tears from her eyes, "Well if nothing else the food for the rest of the trip will be better." 

"Count on it!" 

* * *

Makoto walked away from the campsite after breakfast, which was hailed as a great improvement over dinner last night. She flipped open her communicator. 

"Message service.. all senshi in Toyko area, meeting at my place Monday 12:30 pm bring empty stomach your thinking caps. We are going to need them." 

* * *

"How long to I have to stay still for." Complained Usagi. 

"Just another minute." Said Sailor Mercury. 

Sitting around the room were Rei, Minako, Mamoru and Hotaru. Makoto was in the kitchen producing another culinary wonder. 

"Ok I am done." Said Mercury. 

"At last." Said Usagi, jumping back into Mamoru's lap and kissing him soundly. Mercury seemed to shrink in on herself and became Mizuno Ami again. 

"Give me a few minutes!" she said sinking into a chair, intent on her computer. 

"Lunch." Announced Makoto as she walked in from the kitchen bearing a large tray of various sorts of sushi, with different dips and large pot of green tea. Which everyone with the exception of Ami attacked with glee. 

Makoto rolled her eyes in Ami's direction went back into the kitchen and came back with a small tray, which she put on the arm of Ami's chair, she then took Ami's left hand of the keyboard and placed it in the food tray. Ami's hand took a piece of sushi and popped it in her mouth, all the time her eyes were focused on the screen and her right hand moved over the keyboard. Makoto rolled her eyes again and sat on the floor next to the rapidly disappearing food supply. 

"Ami in the 'zone' again?" ask Minako. 

"Yes, if her subconscious didn't feed her body I am sure she would starve herself to death sometimes with all the studying she does." 

"Pass me the chilli dip would please Rei, thanks." Said Usagi. "I wish I could stop feeling so hungry all time." 

"Whats new!" commented Rei. 

"Mamoru-chan could you blow a raspberry at Rei for me please, my mouths a bit full at the moment." 

"Certainly dear, THHHRRRUUUUUPPP!" 

Everyone apart from Rei, started to laugh. 

"Your getting as bad as her." Rei grumpily commented. 

"Hey, you trying to do six months worth of college work in two weeks. See how mental you feel after that." 

"Hows it all going?" asked Minako. 

"Handed the first batch into my tutor at Tokyo U this morning. Felt damn good let me tell you. I will hear what happens on Friday, until then I intend to catch up on the sleep, I have missed and I feel a trip to the coast with Usa, is in order." 

"Any idea what you want to do now?" asked Makoto. 

"Probably an general edu course to start off with, I think being a star seed for a year has rather nacked my chances of being a doctor. I must admit the appeal for it has gone as well, I think I might head towards a politics and / or law course. My father after all was a lawyer so there must be a gene for it somewhere." 

"THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!" came the shout from chair where Ami was sitting. 

Everyone turned and looked. 

"Ami, whats happening?" asked Usagi, in a slightly worried voice. 

Ami looked up. 

"Usagi, its fascinating. From the readings I took 10 weeks ago, your metabolic rate has increased 20%, 7% more neurotransmitters, nutrient uptake is up some 50%, increase in oxygen uptake by 15%, an increase of skeletal muscle of 30%, smooth muscle by 10%. Excitation-contraction-coupling has improved. You have more mitochondrion in slow/tonic muscles and an increase in myoglobin and cytochrome pigments in all muscle types, blood flow has increased and red cell count has increased. I am seeing an increase in Osteoblasts in all bone structures; classic Oestrogen trigged long bone fusion has ceased and is showing reversal of fusion that has already taken place. I read an increase in nerve cell impulse transmission to 150 m/s, an increase of activity in the anterior pituitary gland with consequent increase of activity in your ovary's, thyroid gland and adrenal cortex. Its, its, its fascinating." 

* Silence * 

"Why is everyone staring at me like that." Said Ami flushing slightly. Which was very true as everyone was staring at Ami, in a rather blank way. Even Mamoru who was rather bright had got lost early on in the mass of long words. 

Finally as Ami turned even redder, Usagi spoke. "Ami please forgive us but I did not understand anything past 'I took 10 weeks ago' line would you please explain it to me what you just said again, in words that little miss C- for human biology would understand here." 

"Sorry, I just got excited." Ami's face brighten as her flush faded, "In simple terms, your metabolism is increasing and with it your putting on more muscle and the muscle you have is working more efficiently, have your clothes started not fitting recently?" 

Usagi's face changed, "Yes that would explain it, some of my tighter fitting clothes have been a bit more uncomfortable lately, I thought it was just due to my lazing around and not exercising as much." 

"You mean running to school!" Commented Rei. 

Usagi, briefly poked her tongue out at her, "Thank you Rei for yet again pointing out my short comings." 

Ami was looking at her computer again. "Usagi, how many calorie's are in your diet at the moment." 

"3500 as you told me last time." 

"Make it about 5000, with more protein and dairy products." 

"Ami, that's crazy. "Commented Mamoru, "that's nearly three times the normal intake for an adult female." 

Ami looked up at Mamoru, "I know, but when have we been 'normal', I haven't been the same my meeting with Usagi, at the Crystal Academy two and half years ago." Mamoru flushed slightly at that. "Being senshi inflicts a price on our body system, I have to eat 2500 Cals a day to keep my weight the same, the rest of us have similar stories. Usagi also has the extra burden of the ginsuishou, which taps her body resources. Now this new change will increase those demands yet again." 

"This change, is it normal?" asked Makoto. 

"As far as I can tell, yes. It seems to be a further evolution in our abilities. The ginsuishou seems to partly responsible for the changes. Certainly the appearance of a Skinfield in Usagi's normal form indicates some sort of change, that and being able to produce energy disks much like her tiara shows that it's an senshi thing." 

Silence fell, for a while then Hotaru spoke up. "Ami, what's a skinfield? And why is it important?" 

Ami, kneeled down in front of the confused looking girl. 

"I am sorry Hotaru-chan, I forget sometimes you were not involved in some of our early adventures and discussions, it feels like you have always been with us. A skinfield is my name for our personal force fields we have when we are senshi form. I called it that simply because is seems to appear about 1 mm from the surface of our skin. Luna and Artemis also have the same sort of field to protect them." 

"Ok that makes sense. I like the way you explain things Ami, Setsuna-mama confuses me when she attempts to explain things to me." 

"Don't worry about Setsuna confusing you, she does that to all of us from time to time." Commented Minako. Everyone laughed at that comment. 

"Seriously though, what should I do now?" asked Usagi. 

"Apart from increasing your portion size, both of had better start saving some money." 

"Why?" 

"Because your going to grow in size and height, your going to need some new clothes and with the amount of food your going to need, Mamoru and our father are going to have to have an over draft to keep you fed." 

"Ohh wonderful, more piss taking opportunities for everyone else then!" Usagi said putting her head in her hands. 


	4. Chapter two - The difference between tra...

Chapter two

The difference between travelling and discovery

_'We learned that one cannot defy nature, but must adapt and  
accommodate oneself to her. Nature will not change; it is man who must  
change, if heis live in conditions where nature is dominant.'_

Knut Haukelid Skis, Against the Atom

There are days, I feel that I should have pulled the pillow over my head and gone back to sleep, when that black cat with crescent shaped mark on her forehead started talking to me. Or perhaps I should have just checked myself in for a padded room and lots of happy drugs.

Fortunately for the world, (if not for myself) I got lured out of bed, because I was curious and frankly a sucker for pretty shiny things. If I didn't know I was a princess in a former life, would swear I was a jakdoor for my love of shiny things.

Believe you and me I am not falling for that trick again.

Anyway here I am on the first Monday morning of 12 weeks of blissful no school, stuck in bed cos there's no one to be with, and its all Setsuna's fault!

.  
.

No it's not, its mine. * Hmmpph * Its my fault cos I told her to come to us if she had concerns, problems or anything she could talk about, to come to me or us or to who damn ever. I feel sorry for Pluto-Senshi, stuck out there in the last outpost of a kingdom at fell over 10,000 years ago. When she is around, I try to include her in whatever's happening, trying to have a little bit of a human life, before she has to return to Clarion Castle to maintain her watch. What's the point of being immortal if you cannot enjoy life just a little.

I know there are only things I can do, I accepted that long ago, just sometimes I want to be young woman, enjoying life, the company of her friends and the love of a good man. Boy, what an afternoon-evening.

I think I will have to give Mamoru a bit of a break though; we are at it like rabbits at the moment. Suppose its goes with the name. I just love the man soooo much. I am sure we will calm down in a while though, well in a millennia or two * Giggle * Being in love is wonderful, that an knowing how much you "try" you cannot get pregnant. Funny that it took us all two years to realise that we weren't having periods anymore. Ami took some readings and worked out that when we became Senshi that normal human female systems reproductive systems where suspended. Being a senshi has a heavy draw on a person's energy. Luna latter confirmed that to become pregnant a ritual needs to performed, so that the energy demands of the senshi's abilities are transferred to someone else, so allowing normal function to resume.

Bahhhh.. I am distracting myself again. There is a truth that stuck me last night before I went to sleep. New more human forces are moving against us, Setsuna would not have warned if it were not happening.

I am the weakest link in the senshi. I am the most vulnerable.

Why would that be I am probably the most powerful, but what if I am captured, or my mind controlled? The inner and outers would go mad, in their search for me, they would be to easy to manipulate. One senshi is dangerous, all of them together! What if I commanded them under mind control, the whole planet would not be safe.

The simplest thing to do is hide and wait.

But in my heart of hearts I know the world will suffer more for us not being around, perhaps to the new Silver Millennium would not come about.

I cannot let the innocent suffer when we could have done something about it.

Yet I cannot also let my friends suffer as well.

.  
.  
.

Sometimes I could kick that cat!

* * *

"Hello Tuskino residence."

"Ikuko, its Fusae Ota, here."

"Ota, was a pleasant surprise."

"Yes its been a while. I need a favour however, is Usagi about?"

"Yes let me call her." Leaning away from the phone "USAGI, PHONE!"

A faint call of "Coming" heard in the distance.

"She will be here in a minute. Hows it all going."

"Well I am taking a group of 20 of Girl scouts to the Chubusangaku national park for five days to see Mount Yariga and introduce some of our city dwellers to the great outdoors. "

"That sounds great." Usagi popped up at Ikuko's elbow. "Here she is. Its your old scout leader Ota Usa."

Before Sailor moon had been thought of, Usagi had been in the Juuban district Girl Guides since the age of 11 until she was 14 when she left under good terms due to "increasing work load." Ota had thought it was due to the amount of school work, Usagi knew it was due to killing of extra-dimensional creatures 3 or more times a week. Usagi had how ever maintained contact the her old pack leader Ota and had often helped the active leader when she could.

"Hello Brown Owl!" said Usagi with a smile.

"Usagi! How are you, are you enjoying your holiday." Came the voice at the other end.

"I am well thank you and as for my holiday, its going all right but many of my friends are on holiday, so it's a little quiet."

"Well perhaps I can make it a little less quiet for you."

"Pardon?" 

"Listen Usa, I am taking a group of 20 of scouts to the Chubusangaku national park for five days and I am a leader short. Mrs Kudua and her daughter have caught the mumps and are not going to be fit to come with us, this Thursday. Another adult leader is coming, but I was hoping for another responsible girl who is closer to the girls ages to come along to act as a bridge between us oldsters and the scouts. So my question is would you like to be a leader for us?" 

Usagi stood there stunned, it was rare that anyone outside of the senshi though of her as any sort of leader or responsible. 

"I would never have thought of myself as leader!" 

"But you are, you always organised the girls in sixer, when Owada wasn't around and Ikuko told me how well you looked after your cousin Chibi-Usa, so I think you're an ideal candidate. Well that and we are starting up a venture scout unit in the area and need to attract some old hands back?" 

Usagi laughed, "The truth comes out." Usagi looked at Luna who was sitting on the stairs near the phone, Luna's look was one of interested confusion. She thought for a couple of moments. 

"So I take its leave on Thursday and return Sunday?" 

"Yes." 

"Then I will say yes, under the proviso my parents are happy with the arrangement." 

"I can pop around tonight after supper to talk with them if that would help." 

"I think it would, would be free to come around 8:30 tonight?" Usagi asked. 

"I will be there!" 

Ota and Usagi exchanged a few more moments of gossip and then rang off. 

"I never realised you were in the Scouts?" commented Luna. 

"Theres many things you don't know about me Luna." And with a flip of her hair, she headed off to talk to her mother. 

* * *

"YOUR DOING WHAT!" Shouted Rei, in a unbelieving tone. 

Ami winced at the volume of the outburst, thanking the kami that they were outside at the time. 

Usagi wiggled her little finger of her right hand in her right ear. "Well if my hearing wasn't damaged before now, it is now. Rei, I believe there is some people in New York who didn't quite hear you. Anyway, what makes you think I am so unsuitable for doing this." 

Rei was still having problems dealing with the post-Galaxia Usagi, in the old days she would have burst into tears, at Rei scolding's. Now she tended to give back as good as she got. Ami and Makoto had been talking a few days ago and both commented on the new firmness in Usagi's nature. Her klutz attacks seemed to be happening less as well. 

"Well we really want to teach these kids how to burn themselves on camp fire and the best ways to fall down mountains." Said Rei crossing her arms in a sarcastic huff. 

With a roll of her eyes and a slight smile on her lips, she replied "Well if you don't want me to go, why don't you go with Ota and look after them. I am sure I can look after the jinja for you. Perhaps get a few more people to come in because your not there to scare them off." 

"Now listen here the number of people has nothing to do with… Mummff!" 

Makoto stuffed a large home baked cookie into Rei's mouth at this point, in an attempt to stop an typical Rei / Usagi augment which could go on for hours. She caught a slight pleading look in Usagi's eyes at the sight of Rei attempting to eat the chewy cookie and proceeded to push one in to Usagi's mouth at well. 

"I think it is a very good idea, Usa." Commented Ami, "If nothing else, it would a be a bit of a break for you. We could all do with a holiday at the moment." 

"Did you know I was in the Guides back in England", commented Minako, "Camps were great fun, getting away from your parents, building fires, putting up tents, fun competitions, singing around the camp fire, eyeing up the Venture scouts in the next door camp site. That sort of thing." A dreamy look came to her eye. 

"Oestrogen poisoning again!" Commented Ami rolling her eyes. 

"Whafft." Asked Rei with a mouth still full of cookie. 

"Never mind!" 

What if anything happens here in Tokyo and we need Sailor moon." Asked Artemis, struggling to get the conversation back onto some sort of track. 

With a final swallow of the cookie, Usagi replied, "Well if its nothing you cannot handle I can teleport back." 

"Can you teleport that far?" Said Luna. 

"I teleported to Hiroshima and back with out any problems." 

"Why did you go there?" Asked Ami. 

"Were do you think I got all that information for my school project on the effects of the atomic bombs. I hopped over one Saturday morning and visited the museum there." See fixed a look at Luna, who looked like she was about to explode. "And before you start, I know about the problems, risks etc. But I also need to practice and I begin to wonder if we need to practice our lesser used abilities." 

"To be fair Usa, only you have the ability to teleport on your own." Commented Ami. "and Pluto of course. Three of us are required to teleport anywhere." 

"I will keep my communicator on at all times, call me if I am in needed. Heck, call me if you feel bored and want a chat. Especially what happens with that date Mina is going on Friday night." 

"USAGI, " screamed Minako, "HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT!" 

"Well you bragged to Unazuki, who told Motoki, who mentioned it to Mamoru who told me….. Mina the secret of keeping a secret is keeping your mouth shut!" 

Ami and Rei had a gleam in there eyes as they started pumping Minako for information. 

Usagi pulled Makoto to one side. 

"Makoto, need a little word with you, before we, go and embarrass Mina. I need a favour?" 

"Any thing Usa, what do you need?" 

"Well camp food tends to be a little dull, if sometimes awful. Can you give me a clue on what I could do to make it a little more interesting." 

Makoto stopped walking for a moment, her eyes lost in thought, then slowly a smile came to her face. "As a matter of fact, I think I can. Can you pop around tomorrow say in the afternoon about two" 

"Done." 

"Invite Mamoru around about six will you, I will get the others to come to." 

"Why do we all need to come?" 

"If your going to learn probably you need to cook large amounts of food, this means you need large numbers of people to eat it." 

Usagi, smiled "Of course!" 

* * *

"A 'Mumu' you called it." 

"Yes its idea from Papua New Guinea, Mumu means 'Earth Oven'" 

"Got to admit it is different, killer seasoning too, Thanks Usagi, fantastic idea." 

I smiled as Ryokai walked off, at my feet Luna looked up from her portion of fish that she was eating and winked at me. Moon cat familiars, don't mind cat food, but give them a bowl of fish and they will love you forever or until you tread on there tails or something. All in all it had been a good night, Makoto's idea had gone down a storm that and getting her to make a huge jar of marinade to make the cooking that little bit easier. Across the way her little troop of girls were gracefully receiving the praise of their peers for the food they had produced. It was certainly a lot better than what Ota's troop had produced on there arrival the night before. But being in a mini-bus for 5 hours on busy roads and getting at the camp site in the dark, putting tents up be torch light, does not make for good cooking.

Well my "moonflower" patrol are making up for it tonight. Chizu, Kogo, Miwn and Umeko are all 12 years old and go to school together. They were fascinated at my blond hair at first and it took some explaining that it was not dyed, but a result of having English and Canadian grandparents, this lead into a large discussion about how hair colour in inherited, for some reason it something I know quite well, I guess having to explain it to people over the years has made some things sink in. I guess they see me as quite cool, that and I brought "cute bald spotted kitty" with me. I held on to Luna's tail at that point, I remember her reaction when my mom called her that.

Time for bed I think, little Miwn is starting to wilt and I am not much better and we are doing some hill walking about Hotaka peak tomorrow. The guide book back in my tent show a number of interesting places and views, that and would like to see the Japanese deer which is supposed to be common around here.

* * *

"Can't we have a break yet." Cried Chizu from the back of the line of scouts making there way up a trail. Usagi stopped and turned around looking back down the line. Chizu was the tallest of the group and was at the cusp point between child and teenager. Usagi leaded on her walking staff. 

"Now we all agreed that we would stop when we reached the waterfall that's up here. Now there only a little way to go, "cocking her head to one side "I can hear water, so it cannot be to far." She turned and started walking up the trail. 

"Perhaps you should have not eaten all those donuts last night." Quietly admonished Umeko to the puffing Chizu. Chizu stuck her tongue out at fellow scout. 

Ten minutes later we arrived at a large open area, on one side a 6 meter cliff stood, from the top of which a stream tumbled down the rocks into a small pool. Surrounding it was a range of large rocks and facing east was a rather good view looking over some of the lower hills in the range down to the town of Matsumoto. In the surrounding trees a few Mikuji flew in the breeze. This was some what lost to girls as they collapsed on various rocks. Usagi placed her pack and staff down and standing by the water of the pool, clapped her hands together thrice and offered a short prayer to the Kami of this place. Rei had asked her to offer a good example to the girls and Usagi had agreed. 

"Ok everyone lets break here. Remember to leave nothing behind but your foot prints!" With that Usagi took a seat on a rock and pulled out her lunch box and a small bowl and flask contain some fresh milk for Luna, which Luna drank gratefully. As food and drink was consumed, the conversation level rose as the scouts recovered. Usagi considered somethings as she sat and ate. 

"Strange, a would have thought that would have tired me out as much as them." She thought, "Still feel like I could go on for hours yet. Guess that training we do is finally paying off." 

As she was finishing a movement caught her eye as she looked up she smiled on reflex, as little Miwn took her picture. 

"Miwn, you should have warned me, so I could re-tie my hair." Usagi had forgone her normal odangos and tails since they tend to catch in the bushes and trees and had pulled her hair into a simple three strand plat down her back. 

"My father told me that some times the best photos are the ones that are least posed." 

"Your father is probably very wise." Knowing how fickle she was about having her photo taken. 

Usagi pulled out her map of the area and quickly checking her compass, spotted the small path going to the NE. 

"Ok everyone 20 minutes more and then we start going down hill "a small cheer rose at that, "We follow that path down past, " looking at key of map, "some ruins and Jinja and then back onto the main trail and its Ryokai's troops turn to cook and I told him he's got to beat us tonight!" 

"As if!" said Chizu. "My father can burn water." Everyone laughed. 

An hour later, a much happier troop passed, what on the map said was ruins. Usagi stopped to let the girls to have a poke around. To her it looked like the stone base of a large house. It had been abandoned a long time as nothing remained apart from the base and trees had grown though were the rooms where. They moved on quickly. 

The Jinja however was a different matter. The opening gate was deeply polished wood, behind which a small shire sat. From the main building a small trail of smoke rose. Reading the signs around the temple, Usagi quickly recognized the Jinja was dedicated to Hinokagutsuchi, which was the same as Rei's. In the court yard a man was sweeping the yard. When they entered the yard the man looked up and smiled warmly. 

"Greetings, travellers welcome to the Hotaka Jinja." 

Usagi bowed to the man, noting his rank markings. 

"Greetings Guji of Hotaka, may we explore your Jinja." 

"Of course young leader. Please do not interfere with the sacred fire as there is a rite tonight for a wedding party and please call me Haru." He replied with a smile. 

With a nod Usagi gave permission to scouts to explore. She then looked at Haru. 

"What is the history with this Jinja? It seems an usual place to have one, especially to Hinokagutsuchi?" 

Haru gestured to bench seat and both he and Usagi sat down. 

"Well young leader." 

"Usagi." He smiled "Usagi, the Jinja was first built early in the Tokugawa era, the local Kuge, Tachibana, built a fine manor house as a summer retreat in the hills above here, to allow his family to get way from the heat of the planes below and most likely the smell of Toyama, it being big on fishing. Tachibana Kogin venerated Hinokagutsuchi and had this Jinja built and gave over significant lands over in the area that is now known as Yatsuo for this Jinja and three others up keep." 

"So what happened to the manor house?" 

"With some irony, during one summer storm, the manor house caught fire after a lighting strike. Burning down within minutes, taking, killing most of the Kuges family. Only two sons of the Kuge survived, having been visited family elsewhere. They in morning for there family left Jinjas as they are in memory." 

"Oh how tragic." 

"It is the will of the Kama, many things happen for no apparent good reason. But from what I have seen good comes from it. What beings you to here Usagi, to my humble Jinja." 

"The desire to escape for a while from the pressures of life, "she smiled and in an honest surprise of herself she continued "A friend as come to me with a problem that effects myself and ones closest to me and I have much to think about and getting away from downtown Tokyo and attempting to teach some youngsters the difference between travelling and discovery, would help me think more clearly about what we should do. Finding wise old Guji's to talk to is purely an accident." 

He laughed "Old I can a lay claim to, "he said shaking his head, "wise however I cannot claim. I do know this, all problems have a solution, sometimes the solution is one you do not wish to take, or it is hidden from you or lies in an usual direction. But rest assured young lady there is one." 

"You say you are not wise, "smiled Usagi, "yet there are some of the wisest words on the subject I have yet to hear." 

"Thank you, young leader," he smiled, "Now tell me a little of Tokyo it is 20 years since I visited the city, tell me of your little part of it." 

For the next ten minutes Usagi, told of school, her friends, Rei's grandfather, who he said he had met once during a pilgrimage and asked if he still had a eye for the girls. At that point the scouts had finished there look around and waited to go. 

"I had better go before they elect a new leader." Said Usagi standing up. 

"Wait before you go, I have a little something for you." And he disappeared into a side building. Emerging a minute or so later and handing her a Omamori made with black feathers and red silk ribbons." 

"Ooh thank you!" said Usagi reaching into her pocket for a donation. 

"No young leader, this is freely given, as the birds freely give there feathers to make it." 

With that she placed it in her rucksack and then bowed low to him. "Fairwell." 

"Safe journey, young ones." 

They turned and left. 

* * *

Tachibana Hideharu watched until the little troop of scouts had disappeared into the forest. Then he turned and walked slowly to the fire room where the fire burned brightly. His shoulders were shaking, he was caught between laughter and exultation. Tears rolled down his cheeks. He tossed some incense on to the fire and bowed his head as his tears fell on to the Jinja. 

"Great Kami, after all these years, she had come! She has come here. The prophecy is right, my grandfather was right, my father was right, Kogin old friend you were right." 

More tears. 

"Five times she has saved the world, now the princess walks amongst us, seeking guides. The time of change cannot be far now." 

He rose. 

"I must tell the others! There is hope now." 

He walked into the back of the Jinja, away into the small garden at the back, and speaking a few words that's origins went back tens of thousands of years, Hideharu disappeared in a flurry of black feathers. 


	5. Author Comments 1

Comments from author

Just thought I would put down some comments from the last chapter. One of Warwolfs (also known as Trek boy, also known as "Its your round you stingy git ;-) comments was "whooh you turned Setsuna into a killer." Actually I didn't although I probably trod a very fine line, heres the way I illustrated it to doubting Tomas (and slightly drunk) friends. 

Hotaka Times headline – "Four men die as van plunges 250 meters down a cliff" 

If Setsuna hadn't interfered the headline would have read. 

Hotaka Times headline – "Four men die as van plunges 120 meters down a cliff" 

All Pluto did was force the vans steering column to fail sooner. The result was a longer and a lot more satisfying drop and louder crash at the end. Why did she do it, is somewhat more complex. Setsuna loves Usagi, she loves them all and she can see what happens to them, the pain, the heartache, everything and SHE CANNOT DO A DAMN THING ABOUT IT. And if I was her boy would I be pissed about it, being the senshi of time just has to suck. So my thought in this case she could indulge her human side a little and make their suffering last a little longer, cos in the end their dead anyway. The thing about them not wearing any trousers at the time and it coming out in the newspapers a few days later and all the gossip that caused was not her fault to… well it was .. sort of. Look she can be a bit of an evil cow sometimes ok, so don't mess with her. 

Usagi's evolution, very simply put her in her normal form to be as strong and well defended as she first became Sailor moon. This was partly a natural evolution, as she moves towards becoming the neo-queen serenity, when the three different people she is (Usagi, Sailor moon and Neo-princess) merge into one. The ginsuishou is also reacting to Usagi's thought's about her weakness and is speeding up the process for her and the rest of the senshi. I see the ginsuishou as a sentient symbiotic entity, which the senshi draw energy from, there reward for protecting the ginsuishou's host. Expect the others to change as well, I have some interesting ideas of how its going to happen and work. 

Doc commented on Tachibana Hideharu, well more correctly who is he? Unfortunately he is only introduced in this story and that's the last you have heard of him until the tentively titled "Fire and flight" which is mostly from Rei's point of view. 

Couple of other comments, in the flashback scene, I used quotes from the Epilogue of Jeff Branch's, The Frankenstein Syndrome. "Thus spoke Zarathustra" by Freidrich Nietzsche, a line from a BBC tv program and various bits of my own thoughts. I fully admit that the end result is not good as I would like and I feel I will re-write it at some stage. Amine can do crashing over layering images well, I cannot. 

Thanks for listening to my random jibberings. 

On to the next part. 


	6. Chapter four - Nemeton

Chapter four – Nemeton

_A general who listens to my calculations, and uses them, will  
surely be victorious, keep him; a general who does not listen  
to my calculations, and does not use them, will surely be  
defeated, remove him._

Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Monday 17th June 1991

It's a strange feeling waking up in someone elses bed, especially when the someone elses bed is the senshi of time. That and I keep finding long dark hairs. * giggle * Seriously though being at Haruka and Michiru's makes nice change, not to mention the use of there hot tub is good too. Setsuna has had to return back to Clarion Castle to maintain her watch over the time stream and watching over Hotaru is an easy job, her being a rather quiet girl at the best of times, that and given the chance will sleep in as long as me. (Michiru comments that she takes after Haruka in that respect, glad to here there is at least three sane people in our group.) Still it makes me feel better, as much I hate to admit it, I miss the little spore Chibi-Usa at times like this. I still catch myself saying "I must show small lady this.." and then realise she's not here anymore. Perhaps she will come back and visit sometime, or perhaps I have to wait until I give birth * Shiver * to her. 

Hotaru misses her too, it has been really hard on her, growing up so fast and she has no friends outside of the senshi. I cannot fault Haruka, Michiru and Setsuna's for that, educating her at home is the only way to deal with her at the moment, how do you explain to teachers that the six year old you had yesterday is now an eleven year old today. That and the accerated growth has left the none-senshi form rather weak and sickly. None of us goes near her when we have a cold for fear of hurting her more. Ami commented how ever that her growth rate seems to returned to normal, I think another year and they may try to slip her into 7th grade class. Anyway this is the last day of my care she has to put up with, Professor Tomoe has returned from UK and wants to spend some time with his daughter. 

Professor Tomoe Souichi thankfully is not the same man as he was. Injuries and a nervous breakdown left him frankly a bit of a mess. But over the past year he's picked himself up. He has spent last six months in the UK working for a university over there, UMIST I think I was told, seems a damn strange name for a place but hey its English and I have enough problems with Japanese. Anyhow, Hotaru's going to spend the rest of the time until Haruka and Michiru return, apparently Michiru is getting lots of attention stateside, although they assured me that they will be back for next Saturday. 

Eeekk where's the time gone time for us both to be up, * Yawn * time to get moving I guess. 

* * *

"Paaaappppa!" screamed Hotaru as she leapt into her fathers arms, kissing him seriously on the face. 

Souichi laughed at his daughter's exuberance and hugged her close to him. 

"Hotaru my little wonder how are you, I am sorry to have been away so long." 

"Its alright papa, I know you have to travel to get work, Haruka-papa, Michiru-mama look after me well." 

Usagi slowly walked up to the reunited pair, to give them a little space and take in the scene, Professor Tomoe had put some weight on since she last saw him and it looked like he had been working out a little as well. The signs were that the few past years had been left behind. 

"Professor Tomoe." She greeted him, with a respectful bow. 

"Ms Tuskino" he replied. Then came over and hugged the surprised Usagi. 

"Messiah." He whispered into her ear. 

"I told you not to call me that!" she said giving him a playful slap across his chest. 

"Owch" he said rubbing his chest. "You been working out too!" 

"A little." She smiled. 

Hotaru came over and wrapped her arms around her father's waist, Souichi absently began to stroke his hand though his daughter's hair. 

"Well girls would you like a little lunch!" 

"Yes, Pappa, Usagi-chan did not get me early enough for breakfast." 

Usagi flushed, "Perhaps Hotaru-chan did not get me up early enough for breakfast!" 

"Come on then, let find you girls a late breakfast or early lunch then." 

They began walking down the street towards a small cluster of shops. 

"How was your journey home?" asked Usagi politely. 

"22 hours on a plane is not my idea of fun, I have to admit, that and the nine hour time difference is a bit hard to deal with, its good to be home though." 

"How's your English doing papa?" 

"Very well actually, I got to do some socialising in England, a few of my second year students decided it was there job to introduce me to the pleasures of the country. Which seemed to consist I must admit of various types of beer and Manchester United football club, oh and a very strange food stuff called 'a curry' which seems to be only eaten after consuming a large quantity of beer." He frowned, "it seems strange to me that people should enjoy eating food so hot, it causes them pain. But they are a happy and friendly people, if a little strange. Lets go in here." He said leading them into a café. 

For the next hour and a half, Usagi and Hotaru eased there hunger and heard all about England and the work Souichi had been doing. After committing some serious damage to his wallet, the three headed for the park, for a rest and to play on the swings. 

"So what's your plans for the future?" asked Usagi as she sat down on a bench. 

"Well, while I was away, to government decided it was not my fault about the damaged caused at the Institute, a build up of gas in fault caused by earthquake damage they said it was." A disbelieving look passed between the two of them. "So all insurances were paid out, being the 'owner' of the institute I received a large pay out of about 500 million Yen (that's about 5 million UKP, I assume 100 yen = 1 UKP) I am going to buy a small house and try and re-build my life here." He looked at Hotaru playing of the swings, "I have a second chance, thanks to you and your friends and I have some serious debts to pay off." 

Usagi, looked him in the eye and put her hand on his, 

"Now there is no talk of debts between friends. I did what I because it was righ….." her head snapped to the left, looking towards the park, having a sensation that said "**Something evil this way comes!**" Hotaru's face also turned to look the same way and with a grinding noise brought her swinging to a halt and ran over to were they were sitting. 

"You feel that too." She asked. Usagi grimy nodded. Then the sound of screaming could be heard. 

"What's happening." Asked Souichi, confused. 

"I don't know, but wait here." And then they both ran towards the screams. 

Emerging though a set of woodland and bushes they saw the cause of the screams, it was a creature. Well that seemed to be only way to describe it thought Usagi, standing about 4 meters tall, it had two legs, two arms and head, but that was about it, it seemed to shimmer and shift its colour changed and faded, extra bits of ornamentation, armour, spikes etc faded in and out. It made a sound of many different creatures roaring. As they arrived it caught a young woman who was running away, it caught her and held her up, moments later a mist rose from the woman which was sucked into the beast, who then dropped the body and started after the next victim a small girl to frighten to move. 

Without thinking about it, Usagi summoned one of the energy disks and threw it at the beast, it caught in the arm reaching for the child, and with a roar it turned around looking around for who hurt it. A brave young woman too the opportunity to snatch the child out of the beasts way and to run as fast away as she could. 

"Hotaru, Shift" she commanded. 

Shifting, is the term Ami attached to there transformations between normal form and senshi form. To the outside viewer in less than a second an image appears overlaying the person who is there, which the person then morphs into that image. To the person it seems to last a lot longer, as they pull the image of form they want to be to themselves, and the rush that comes as they attach to the magic and physical power reserve that is tapped to allow them to become sailor senshi. At times Usagi hated being sailor moon, but she could not deny the rush she got from becoming sailor moon. 

A moment later Usagi and Hotaru were gone and in their place Sailor moon and Sailor Saturn stood and then started running down towards the beast during this run sailor moon triggered an all call – senshi in battle from her communicator. The beast reacted immediately by throwing an arm in there direction and suddenly the air was full of various things from knifes, ice shards, balls of fire, bowling ball sized rocks. 

"Silence wall" Called Saturn, Sailor moon wisely ducking behind her. The storm lasted a full 10 seconds. 

"Hells bells what was that." Committed moon. 

"Trouble." Comment Sailor Saturn, grimy. 

Quickly sprinting around the debris pile they saw that beast had caught up with the escaping woman and child and moments later and was busy sucking the life force out of them.. 

"NOOOOO," cried Moon, pulling out the eternal tier from her subspace pocket. 

"THERAPY KISS" launching her most powerful attack at the beast. 

The beast roared with pain at it hit, a blizzard of dust blew back from the beast but still stood there and returned fire with another barrage, Sailor moon and Saturn had to run around dodging the attacks. 

"ICE JAVELIN" came the call as a 3-meter rod of ice spiked the creature though the back. Again a blizzard of dust came from the beast and the javelin fell to the ground. 

"Mercury!" Called moon. Mercury was the fastest Senshi when transformed and normally the first on scene. "Give us some cover!" 

"SHABON SPRAY" and promptly the area around the beast was covered in dense fog. 

Mercury ran over to other two senshi. 

"Mercury what the fuck is that thing, it took my therapy kiss without falling into little bits!" 

Mercury's, visor appearing as she stared intently into the fog, "Interesting." 

The beast came out the fog, roaring! 

"SILENCE GLAIVE SURPRISE" said Saturn; another blizzard of dust blew way from the creature as it staggered back from the impact of the attack. 

"Sailor moon, Sailor Saturn it's a Gestalt creature." 

"What that's that when its at home!" said Saturn 

"Never mind for now, just keep hitting it, lesser attacks will do just keep hitting it!" 

"Ok, MOON FRISBEE"  
"SHABON SPRAY FREEZING"  
"GLAIVE SLASH"  
"MOON HALATION"  
"SHABON SPRAY FREEZING"  
"GLAIVE SLASH"  
"MOON FRISBEE"  
"SHABON SPRAY FREEZING"  
"MOON HALATION"  
"GLAIVE SLASH"  
"SHABON SPRAY FREEZING"  
"GLAIVE SLASH"  
"MOON HALATION"  
"SHABON SPRAY FREEZING"  
"GLAIVE SLASH"  
"MOON FRISBEE"

With the final Frisbee severing the creature at its head it finally crumbed into dust. The senshi stood for a few moments panting. Moon finally raised her communicator to her lips. 

"Cancel all call, threat dealt with, conference on communicators when we have cleaned up here and I have my breath back. Mercury cover us if you can." 

Fog suddenly rose from everywhere in the park dropping visibility down to less than a meter. Raising her hand Sailor moon called. 

"MOONLIGHT BLINDING FLASH" 

A pulse of light burst from her hand and flashed over the area, garbling or wiping the memories of people in the area about the events that had just happened. She dropped her hand and shifted back to Usagi and fell to her knees, Ami and Hotaru followed suit and joined her on the floor. They laid there for a few minutes as the fog cleared. 

"Note to self, must keep up the with training." Commented Usagi, pulling a large bottle of sports drink from her subspace pocket and taking a long drink before passing it around the others. 

"Ok, that was different! Lets go and find your dad and get out of here, before the authorities turn up asking questions." They got up headed out though the clearing fog, back towards were they left Souichi. As they emerged into the now quiet play park, Souichi stood looking pale faced towards the site of battle, looking seriously disturbed, standing beside him with one hand on his shoulder was Minako, Artemis sat at his feet stroking his leg with his head. 

"Is it one of mine!" He demanded. 

Ami smiled "No! It's a problem from before your time." That statement caused a look of confusion on everyones faces. 

"So Ami what was it?" Asked Usagi. 

Ami scratched her head and looked somewhat embarrassed. 

"Well the best I can tell you that was group of Youma's, that had seemed to have merged together into one large gestalt entity. But I would say that's impossible, two things cannot exists at the same time in the same place, so it does not make sense." 

"In conventional 4-dimensional space, no it wouldn't" commented Professor Tomoe, "but in 11-dimensional space those rules do not apply." 

"Yes but do we live in an 11 dimension universe, I thought that was unproven?" 

"But from the facts you have, show that we exists in a universe with more that 4 dimensions so why not 11." 

"It could be more than 11!" 

Usagi, put both fingers in her mouth at this point and blew a loud whistle 

"Hang on you two, we can ague about this later. Preferably when I am not around, so my ears don't start bleeding when you start using all those big words." She turned to Minako and Artemis." You two had better get down there and find out what being said." 

"You got it boss." Said Minako smiling and with a jokey salute, shifted to Sailor V, a form much better suited to covert operations, Artemis jumped on to her shoulder and with a nod to Usagi, she and Artemis turned invisible. 

"Right lets get out of here before we have to deal with the police as well." 

* * *

'Having two science geeks together is a bad move.' Thought Usagi as she and Hotaru were hammering their way though there 3rd game of "Sailor V – Quest for the Princess" 

Ami and Professor Tomoe had spent the past four hours sitting at the kitchen table at Professor Tomoes house, going over the information on the Mercury computer had collected and now had started writing down all sorts of things on two large pads of paper. The conversation was now officially so far over Usagi and Hotaru's head that the only way they could be anywhere near it would be to be in the Space shuttle. 

Just as Usagi and Hotaru were delivering a severe beating to the End of level boss, when Usagi's communicator went off. Jabbing the pause button on the console, she answered. 

"Hello Minako" 

"Where are you?" came the voice back. 'No image available' message appeared on the screen. 

"At Tomoes house." 

"Join you in a few minutes then, open a back door will you!" 

"You got it." 

"Oh tell Luna where you are, next time will you, she's bending Arty's ear about finding you." 

"Ok, see yah!" 

"Luna your still a worry wart even after all these years!" commented Usagi under her breath and headed for the kitchen. 

"Worked out anything yet, I can understand?" she asked as she passed the two scientists and opened the back door. 

Ami and Souichi looked up at her, blinked a couple of times, looked back at what they were doing and then they both flushed red. 

Rubbing the back of his head Souichi admitted, "Er we came up with a theory about two hours ago." 

Usagi, folded her arms, started tapping her foot and stared at the two of them, both of them flushed redder still. 

"And?" she asked. 

Ami and the professor began to explain there theory about Queen Beryl's Youma's, that were kept in an alterative dimension or dimensions. Since the defeat of Queen Beryl these creatures had become effectively cut off from the outside universe. In an attempt to escape, 20 or so of these creatures combined themselves into one creature, which with its combined energy, allowed it to escape to normal space. This was somewhat backed up by the trace energy signature of a dimensional gate in the park. The thought was that it then tried to gather life energy from humans around it so that they could then split up again and become 20 individual creatures. 

At that point Sailor V/ Minako appeared in the kitchen, she confirmed a death toll of six dead and four injured. The police were of course mystified on the causes of death, Rei and Yuuichiro were down among the "victims" on offering tea and comfort where they could. Mamoru and Makoto were wandering around the crowd scooping out what people knew and felt. 

Business as normal in other words. Trying to keep a secret like this from the world was a full time job, not to mention a damn dangerous one. 

At the end of Minako's report, Usagi was as ever in tears. People had died and she could not prevent it. What was worse was the fact there was nothing she could have done to prevent it and she knew that, but that did not make it any better. 

Usagi always cried for the dead, be they friends, enemies or the innocent bystander. Minako, Ami and Hotaru did what the senshi always did, they wrapped there arms around their beloved princess and surrounded her in warmth and love and cried along with her. 

Professor Tomoe Souichi or Tom as he was known back in Manchester. Turned away from the emotional scene and stared out of the window, moments later the first drops of an early evening rain storm. 

"Kami, " he thought, "even the weather reacts to her!" 

Thoughts of the past few years flashed though his mind, his wife death, his fall from grace in the scientific community, Hotaru's near fatal accident, scatted memories of being possessed by a daimon, working to being about the silence, the blasted memories of injuries suffered at the end, and the brief lose of sanity. Recovery, healing and new acceptance followed. As the rain began to pour down, thought and emotion brought forth the last part required souls recovery. Redemption. 

As the rain continued, the rain of tears lessened and stopped, the others had moved away and Usagi sat on a chair staring at the rain. Souichi came over his face reddened with tears also and kneeled in front of her taking one of Usagi's hands in his own. 

"Princess, is there no way this humble man can make your load a little lighter?" He asked. 

Usagi smiled, "Perhaps you can explain why rain falls, in away even I can understand." Distracting herself from what had gone before. "I know, I will make you first scientific advisor to Crystal Tokyo, after Sailor Mercury of course." She said directing a quick smile in Ami's direction who returned it. 

"I would be honoured and would except happily!" as he thought to himself 'I would swear my life to her she did.' 

"Done, " she said, "bear in mind your helping with my homework from now on." And with a slight laugh kissed him on the forehead. 

At that point a flash of thunder crashed across the sky, the rumble shook the windows in the house. The noise made everyone jump. Professor Tomoe passed out on the floor. 

With a glowing golden crescent moon on his forehead. 

* * *

Saturday 22ed June 1991

"Honored senshi, Honored advisors lets get on with this meeting, so that we can eat Makoto-chan's dinner without guilt. We have much to discuss, of your ideas about threats brought to our attention by Setsuna-chan and events of the past three weeks. Finally I welcome Professor Tomoe, to our small select group, as the first new royal advisor for 12,000 years so Luna tells me." She bowed slightly to the rather confused looking Professor, "Souichi do not be afraid to speak up and don't be afraid to ask questions. We have been doing this sort of thing for over two years now and tend to make assumptions. Perhaps your input will make clear up some of the stuff that makes my ears bleed." A quiet snigger passed around the group. "Ok then who what's to go first?" 

Ami stood up and launched into her presentation about the Gestalt Yoma, they had destroyed last Monday. The GY as she called it, was indeed a combination of 20 single Yoma into one creature. This single creature was then strong enough to open a portal between the Queen Beryl's 'storage' domain and this one. Due to the rather unintelligent way it attacked, it was guessed that it was one of the beast like foot solder type that made up that particular GY. The down side to that was the fact that Beryl would probably had millions of these creatures to hand for when she finally defeated the senshi. This lead to the rather uncomfortable question of this being a one-off, so where there 1000's more waiting to cross over. 

Haruka asked if was possible to carry out a pre-emptive strike against this dimension? Ami commented that finding out dimensional co-ordinates would be difficult that and then travelling to that dimension would be risky if not impossible to do. (Professor Tomoe looked like he been kicked in the head at this point, these people were talking about doing the scientifically impossible as if it was nothing at all.) Mamoru asked if possible to research the possibility never the less. "Blowing them up there is a whole lot more convenient than blowing them up here and we can make as much of a mess there as we like and we don't have to worry about collateral damage!" 

Ami then started talking about Usagi's latest changes. Ami's conclusion was the fact it is part of a natural evolution, in the process that merges, Usagi, Sailor moon and Neo-princess into one person. The other comment was that this may happen to the rest of them as time goes on. With no comments from the others she moved on to her first thoughts. 

"Uniform's" she said with a note of finality. "Hands up those of us are getting pissed of with cold legs and arms all the time, especially in winter, that and the lack of physical protection they give. The damn silly shoes and boots we wear. That and I have caught a couple of people trying to look up my skirt." 

All the girls put their hands up. 

"Leggings do not go well with them." Said Setsuna quietly. Unfortunately everyone heard and looked at her. 

Even with her dark colouring she flushed badly, "Did I say that out loud. Well look you try hanging around a 20,000 year old castle were the outside temperature is –230 C and see how cold your legs get." 

Banishing the image of Setsuna in neon pink legwarmers from her mind, Usagi spoke up "I take it that everyone agrees to that idea." Mamoru make a quiet comment about liking to see Sailor Moons legs, but he was ignored. "Any proposals Ami?" 

At this point Ami, looked slightly embarrassed, "I have a few technical proposals I thought it would be useful for us all to have audio and video links, some sensor systems like those that are in Sailor moons and Sailor V's masks, perhaps some sort of night vision system. Other thing would be to have some decent armour in them, but as to the style, form and materials, I don't have any ideas." 

"That's my forte." Commented Setsuna. 

"I am not wearing pink!" said Haruka, staring at Setsuna. Michiru dug her elbow into Haruka's side. "Ow!" 

Usagi, started rubbing her forehead. "Ok. Ami it sounds a good idea, my question is how?." 

"That and security, "comment Minako "I know that our current communications are secure but that's using Silver Millennium technology can we make we be so sure about using current technology." 

"Why not use Silver Millennium tech, surely there must be some caches of it left over?" commented Professor Tomoe. 

"Very little." Commented Luna, "Myself and Artemis spent two years travelling around the planet after we awoke looking for equipment to help us. We found very little. We guess rising sea levels with the end of the last ice age, time and the efficacy of Beryl's attacks destroyed most of it." 

"Not quite true, "said Setsuna, "a lot of tech did survive, but it was used up by the survivors here on Earth, I also removed a fair amount of it to prevent problems happening later on. Queen Serenity wanted Earth to evolve naturally perhaps in the hope it would do better than she." 

"Does any of it still exist?" asked Makoto. 

"All of the stuff I removed is in a large vault under the methane ice fields and to answer your next question, I have the heaters and atmosphere generators working to make them accessible to us now." 

"Do we have any idea of what we have to play with?" asked Ami. 

"I have a 10,000 year old list of what went in there, but whats working after all this time and the –50 C temperatures is anyone's guess." 

"Should I bother asking why you kept this from us?" asked Minako. 

Setsuna shook her head. 

"More important question would be, would we have had the time?" Commented Mamoru. 

"Good point, "Said Usagi, "Setsuna at a time of your earliest convenience, can you arrange for Ami, Souichi, Luna and Artemis to visit and take an audit of what we have, also "she smiled, "think you should start putting some thought into uniforms, since you have the best style sense of us all and in deference to Haruka, go easy on the pink. Ami do you have anything else to say." Ami shook her head. "Ok, Minako your next." 

Minako started to describe her idea's, the first being the setting up of a second set of combat orientated identities with a different MO. 

"If we have to deal with the CIA or MI5 and turn up in short skirts and tuxedos and blast them with lightening, fire and ice, they get a good idea of what we are, if however we turn up dressed in ninja and beat the crap out of them, we become one of several hundred organizations. Working this way we can deal with people sniffing around without having to break our own cover. Drop some evidence that they were getting to close to something else and with a bit of luck they will head of down that avenue and away from us." 

This idea was approved of very quickly, due to everyone seeing it as a good idea and due to a quite of few people having secret fantasies about being a ninja. Although Luna was heard to mutter under her breath, "Teenagers." 

Her second idea was more difficult, plausible deniability. Her idea was to use her mind changing abilities to put into the mind of say a film director about making a superhero film about five sailor suited women and a man in a tuxedo. Then people would see them and think of the film and see them as a publicity stunt. 

The group was divided on that idea and commented if it was possible, if so how long the effect would last and want should be said. After about ten minutes of debate, Minako agreed to trying the idea out on a small scale first to see what would happen, perhaps a manga writer or newspaper cartoon strip. 

Rei was next, but commented that Ami had Minako had already done two of her idea's and getting rid of those damn high heels she wore as Mars was the best idea yet. She did now ever put forward the idea of changing and improving the training they did and increasing the stealth aspects of it. Everyone agreed it was a good idea and Rei and Mamoru agreed to work on it. 

Makoto again commented that her ideas had already been said, she did ask if they could find some better hand to hand weapons as the current set although good, were no really up to the job, noting her tendency to break them when she hit things a to hard. Setsuna committed at that point that she thought some SM weapons were in the cache of stuff on Pluto, perhaps they would be of some use. Ami promised that they would keep their eyes open. 

Michiru and Haruka did a presentation on their idea about faking their own deaths and taking on new identities. Usagi agreed it was a good idea but commented that it would be a last resort idea, as some people did have families and at this stage would be hard to do. Setsuna commented that there were enough guest rooms for all the senshi at Charon Castle plus a quite a few more people as well. So just disappearing off the face of the planet was an option as well. Usagi said that idea may have some use to move families out of the line of fire, if things went seriously wrong and needed to be moved to a place of safety. Mamoru commented that it should be possible to find a safe place on Earth as well and would commit some time to discovering somewhere. 

As a clock chimed six somewhere in the house, Usagi wound the meeting up. 

"Everyone thank you, we have today put ourselves on a new path, were it will lead us, I do not know but I have a good feeling about it all. Lets see what the future brings. Makoto bring on the food!" 


	7. Chapter five - Of Money, Magic and Birth...

**Chapter 5 – Of Money, Magic and Birthdays**

_"People who ask our advice almost never take it.  
Yet we should never refuse to give it, upon request,  
for it often helps us to see our own way more clearly."  
_

Brendan Francis

'Arrrggghhhhh my hands hurt' thought Makoto as she left the large supermarket not to far from her apartment, shopping bags were great if you only had to walk to your car, but not too good if you had to walk about a mile to your home. 

'Note to self, buy one of those shopping trolleys, those old women pull around, may be seriously not cool, but it saves on the red hands.' She came to a crossing point, which was on red and with some relief put the bags down. 

'Ok do I have everything' she thought standing waiting for the lights to change. 

'Cake mix – check'  
'Icing sugar – check'  
'Eggs – check'  
'Rice flour – check'  
'Fresh pork ribs – check'  
'Chicken – check'  
'Butter – check'  
'Present for Usagi' came her inner voice.  
'Present for ….. owhhhh shit.' Makoto's face dropped like a ton of bricks.  
'Arrrgghhhh I have spent up this month allowance already.'  


Makoto was in fact quite well off, her parents had left her a large amount of money, that and life insurance pay outs and compensation from the airline for her loss. So in theory she had about 70,000,000 yen to play with the problem was it was not hers until she was 21. Thankfully her father's grandfather and grandmother had help her though the immediate aftermath of her parents death had been nominated executors of that fund. They had made arrangements for the suborn girl who refused to leave her parents apartment. While the capital could not be touched, the interest on such money could be used. So every month her bank account had about 60000 Yen credited to it. Not a great deal but enough for Makoto to keep body and soul together. Since becoming senshi she had actually become a bit better off. Artemis and Minako had managed to get a stash of money together, from the sale of valuable artefacts that he and Luna had collected. While not exactly legal, it did allow them to have some funds, independent of other sources. Each of the inner senshi, including Usagi and Mamoru got 10000 yen a month. The outer senshi when offered claimed they did not need it, although Hotaru later asked Luna if it would be alright for her to claim her bit.

This unfortunately did not help Makoto at the moment as the money was credited on the first of each month. 

'Bugger' she thought as she crossed the roads, the pain in hands forgotten. 

'Perhaps I can get Ami-chan to sub me a little.' Makoto thought as she stomped down the street, to the next set of crossing lights. As she stood waiting for the sign to change she spotted an advert in a window printed on bright orange paper. It read.

**WANTED**

Security Guards for Thursday 27th  
Tokyo Bowl   
Full Training given  
Apply within   


'Hummmmm' thought Makoto. 

* * *

Oishi Kyuso, was a very stressed man. To his delight (and his bank mangers too) he had been handed the contract for security for Tokyo Bowl concert of "Cassiopeia" the new and up and coming four piece girl band. Unfortunately it had also come at a time people were on holiday with family, had two major festivals to deal with and an unseasonable outbreak of flu. This had left him ten short on security for the Thursday night so he was rapidly recruiting some extra staff.

Unfortunately all he seemed to be getting was a bunch of losers or people who wanted to get close to "Cassiopeia". He looked at the next application form. 

"Kino Makoto, a woman." He said to himself with some surprise, "Well let's give it a try, at least she probably won't be drooling over the lead singer anyway" 

The intercom buzzed, "Kino Makoto her to see you sir." Said his assistant. 

He held down the talk button, "Send her in." he then got up from his desk and prepared to administer his little test. He picked up a blue stacker box from one side of the room and carried it over to the middle of the room. Just then someone knocked at the door. 

"Come in." And turned with the box in his hands and looked at the door at the person coming in. Enter a girl who must be at least 4 inches taller than he and at 5'10" was not small himself, brown hair, green eyes with rose earrings and wearing a conservative black dress suit. She stopped and bowed low. 

"Miss Kino." He responded with a slight bow. 

"Mr Oishi." She responded polity. 

"Before we start, would you please do me a favour of picking up that other box and putting it on the table over this one. He pointed his chin towards a box the other side of the room. 

"Certainly" replied Makoto and she moved over to pick it up. 

Kyuso had done the box deliberately so it weighed about 65 KG. Makoto went over and gentle pushed the box with her foot. Which Kyuso gave her an extra point. She then squatted down and grabbing both handles, smoothly lifted from the floor. Most men grunted at that point, she how ever was quiet and turned to him. 

"Where do you want it." She asked with a slight smile. 

'Damn she knows exactly what's happening there." He thought. "This might work out!" 

Fifteen minutes later, Makoto had a job for Thursday night, she only had one problem though. Where the heck was she going to get a Tuxedo from, well there was one man she could ask. 

Mamoru was to say the least surprised at Makoto's request, but once he knew what it was for (and sworn to security) it only took a short while to sort something out, which with a little letting out would be fine. 

* * *

"Ding, Dong." When the door chime at Tuskino household. 

Usagi looked up from the book she was reading and glanced across at he black cat clock. "8 pm I wonder who that could be at this time." She asked the empty room. 

Luna had gone that morning with Artemis, Ami and Professor Tomoe to take up Setsuna's offer of a look around the remaining Silver Millennium technology stored under Chiron Castle. 

"USAGI" came a shout from down stairs, "its Ami." 

Usagi, got up and ran down the stairs, to be tackle hugged by baseball cap wearing Ami. Ikuko-mama looked on at the two of them and smiled fondly. 

"We need to talk, princess." Whispered Ami into Usagi's ear. 

"Your mother away again, Ami." Questioned Usagi. Ami catching on nodded furiously. 

"Oh Ami," said Ikuko. "Why don't you stay the night with us, I am sure your mother would not mind?" 

"Oh, I don't want to be any trouble." Said Ami. 

"Its is no trouble at all." Said Ikuko completing the ritual. 

Usagi dragged Ami towards her room. On getting there Ami staggered over Usagi's bed and collapsed on to it. 

"Tough day." Asked Usagi, as she came over and started to pull one of Ami's boots off. "Where's Luna she not with you?" 

"Luna went and crashed out at Minako's with Artemis. Its been a tough six months!" 

"What? Six months?" 

Ami sat up and pulled off her Tokyo U baseball cap, her blue black hair cascaded out of it until it hung just below her breasts. 

"I have been gone from now about twelve hours, but travelled back in time and spent 6 months there are then returned about an hour ago." 

Usagi looked shocked, "Obviously the second taboo has gone out of the window then!" (The second taboo, time travel is not allowed) 

"I think Setsuna set it up all very carefully, she also picked the right people, once myself and Souichi the only thing that interrupted us was our bodies needing to eat and sleep. It used to take Luna and Artemis all their time to persuade us to stop. The only thing that forced us to leave was the fact that we started to fade." 

"Fade, like when I was too close to the Neo queen in the 30th century." Said Usagi remembering back to the days of the battles with the Black moon family. 

"Close, apparently you can only spend a certain amount of time outside of your own, before the Universe attempts to push you back to were you came from. Unless you have something like a time key which protects you from that effect. I hate time travel, it gives me a headache." 

Usagi, blinked and then filed the last bit of the conversation in a section of her brain labelled "Things to deal with when I have a year with nothing better to do." 

"What did you learn . . . . The short version, please Ami." 

Ami paused for a moment. "Many many things. We will give a full report at the next big senshi meeting. But we are considerable richer in equipment than I first though we would be, Souichi estimates that he will have all the required equipment for the new costumes done by Christmas. We also managed to get working one of the old Manufactory's, which can produce just about anything, given energy and the right feedstuff." 

"I remember those, "commented Usagi, "I remember my mother taking me to one of those on the moon. It produced a copy of my stuffed rabbit, so I had two to cuddle at night. I remember being so pleased, I asked if I could get it to duplicate all my toys." 

"The other thing I found was a couple of complete libraries, in them was complete sets of knowledge and histories of the Silver Millennium, plus many books on Magic." 

"Magic?" 

"Yes, it seems the SM was full of magi and sorcerers, well we from the planets seem to magi and sorcerers came from Earth. Each was a slightly different flavour of magic. Here you might as well read for yourself." Ami reached into her subspace pocket and pulled out three large heavy bound books in a deep red colour. "I had the Manufactory make copies of these for all of us. They seem to be a complete primer to magic. I don't know if Mamoru will get much from it, his power source being fundamentally different to ours, but it may be of some use." 

Usagi opened the first of the books, it was written in Lunaan the old language of the moon and other she had never had a lesson in or every thought about it before Usagi knew she could read this like it was Japanese. She looked at Ami who smiled back. 

"I know, its funny to find you know a language you have never seen before, I guess that makes five I guess." 

"Who wrote these?" 

"The moons kingdoms Arch-mage Hecate." Ami's eye brow popped up, "It seems that names of many of the SM famous characters turn up in later earth mythology. It shows that some knowledge of the SM survived into this interglacial period." 

Usagi, nodded as if she understood what Ami was going on about, making a mental note to find out what an interglacial period was, and started to read the book. The introduction plate caught her eye. 

_"Dedicated to Princess Serenity and her senshi  
may your Golden Millennium be successful,  
and last for all eternity. Hail the new queen."_

A memory returned. 

"Ami-chan, I remember these books being entered into the royal library, they were not to be opened until after my 18th birthday, they were an engagement present to Endymion and myself. I wondered at the time was the old witch was doing and why I was not able to look at them straightway, now I know." 

Ami, nodded "Its highly likely that she saw the future or as Setsuna would put it the most likely outcome. That or she enchanted the front plate to read different things depending on events. How ever it does indicate they were put there for our use." 

Usagi, rubbed her left eye and closed the book and then filed them into her subspace pocket. "Ok, Ami what do you want to do with you first night in six months back on earth." 

"Eat some of your moms food, richer the better, I am about 10 pounds below my ideal weight, call a hair dresser for a hair cut, watch some mind rotting TV and sleep for as long as I can." 

Usagi, put her hand on Ami's forehead. "Are you sure your Ami, "she said with a grin. "Sounds like sailor mercury and sailor moon have swapped places." 

With uncharacteristic energy, Ami attacked Usagi with a pillow, and nothing serious happened after that. 

* * *

**Thurday Night – Tokyo Bowl.**

'If Rei ever comments about Usagi, being a bratty little wiener again, I am going to have to show her these four. She will see her as a goddess in comparison.' Thought Makoto as she stood and watched the activities of the four girls that made up 'Cassiopeia'. She knew why all security guards she had ever seen wore those dark or mirrored sunglasses now, so that they could roll their eyes with out anyone seeing. 

In the half hour she had been there by the door, she had seen five temper tantrums, crying, shouting, complaining and a small food fight. It made senshi meetings seem quiet. Makoto rolled her eyes again and concentrated on the 5000 yen. Makoto had draw dressing room duty by the fact that she was the only woman on the security team. 

"Weres the cheese cake!" screamed one of the one with peroxide blond hair. 

"Don't tempt me!" muttered Makoto, her mind filling with images of using said cake as face pack for her. A loud thump and the feeling of something heavy hitting the door behind her interrupted her food fantasy. 

"What the…..F.." 

The door then burst open as three men burst in. 

"There they are! Sachi I love you soooo much" the glasses wearing one called. 

"Look your not coming her here" said Makoto standing in the way attempting to push them back.. Predictably the four girls started screaming behind her. 

"Get out of my way bitch." Said the one with the distorted face and from behind his back he pulled out a stun gun and plunged the contacts into Makoto's hand. In normal people that would be enough to send them back several meters and onto the floor. Unfortunately for them Makoto was anything but normal, even in normal form Makoto was immune to the effects of electricity, her skin acting in Ami's words like a superconductor. The stunners effects transferred itself into the man who she was holding, who fell to his knees. 

"Crap!" was Makoto's only comment as she took the gloves off. Grabbing the stunner hand with her right hand, she pulled the man off balance and towards her, which was unfortunate for him, for his face was now heading for her rapidly approaching left elbow. The resulting impact jarred her elbow but sent the gun welder unconscious to the floor, with a nice elbow print on his forehead. The third man she brought down with a kick to crouch was he tried to push past. 

Moments later, two other guards came pounding down the corridor along with Kyuso. As Makoto stood shaking her arm out, trying to get some feeling back into it. 

"What the fuck happened here." Shouted Kyuso. Makoto nodded her head towards the stun gun on the floor. Kysuo's face darkened. Looking the corridor he saw another of his staff on the floor apparently unconscious. "Shit.. why does this have to happen on my watch! Get the police will you, need to them to take this trash away." 

They grabbed hold of the gatecrashers, and bundled them out the door. 

"Kino, good work, speak to you later." Said Kyuso. "Leave that thing alone until the police come, they will want it as evidence. 

Thankfully the rest of the night went of quietly, well as quietly as you can get at a pop concert with 40,000 screaming, teens and pre-teens. Makoto manage to avoid a fair amount of it was the police interviewed her about the incident. At the end though she was back in dressing room, which post gig was considerably quieter and when the band finally left (with the girl called Sachi giving Makoto her phone number, with the statement "Call me tomorrow, you have plenty of energy, stud!") She went to Kyuso in the security office. 

"Kino, good work. Hers your wage!" he said tossing an brown envelope to her. "Plus three time more again as a bonus." 

"Thank you, Oishi." She bowed in thanks. 

"Hey, you did damn well for a rookie. I know the inspector investigating the whole thing, I will the police keep them off your back. Not that I think there will be a problem anyhow." He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the desk. 

"My next question is would you considered staying on our books, I know this was a one-time job for you, but I could do with someone like you in some of the jobs we do." 

Makoto thought about it for a moment. "As long as you accept that I can say no, I have a final year of high school to get though. Other than that I would be interested." 

"Done." He said nodding his head. "Look after yourself kid." 

"And you." And with that Makoto bowed again and left. 

* * *

**Sunday June 30th 1991**

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY USAGI!" Came the deafening shout as birthday girl entered, Makoto's brightly decorated front room. 

Usagi, was attempting to get her hearing back as she was tackle hugged by all of the inner senshi. 

"Hey guys, love you all too. Oooff, but give me some air will you! I would like to make my 18th your know." 

The girls, giggling let go of Usagi and Makoto headed for the kitchen, 

"Ami could you give me a hand with the food please." 

At that point Haruka came over and bowed down taking Usagi's hand, which she proceed to kiss. 

"Happy birthday princess. I have to offer apologies for Michiru and Setsuna though. Michiru was called up by her agent on Thursday and had to perform in a concert in Miami tonight to for fill an old contractional obligation. She apologises profusely and promises something interesting from there as a present." 

"A nice American football player?" asked Usagi cheekly! 

"Er," looking across at Mamoru, "I don't think so! Anyhow, Setsuna said she would be a bit late. I quote 'some bastard is playing with P-Bane manipulation and Sailor Ziezip-ben is not on station' Make of that what you will." 

"Setsuna been drinking again?" 

"Probably!" 

"Hey Usa." Called Minako. "Come here and have your picture taken by your presents." 

"PRESENTS!" 

Usagi (as ever) did well on the birthday present front. 

Driving lessons from both Haruka and Mamoru, bets were being put that she would learn more from Haruka, simply because they would not be heading into lay-bys all the time. 

Book on road safety and a set of disks for her computer containing test questions for the written driving test from Ami. 

A cased box of make up and perfume from Minako, a lot of it came from France, where parents had spent a few weeks on a second honeymoon. 

Several books were Rei's gift, mostly copies of text books for the final year of high school, Rei had also thrown in the newly published Japanese translation of "A brief history of time." By Stephen Hawking. It had taken some doing to keep that one away from Ami. 

Makoto contributed the food, a signed tee-shirt from Cassiopeia and an necklace set with a ice blue stone, in the shape of the crescent moon with a set of matching earrings. 

Hotaru had make a 40 cm high fluffy rabbit she had made with her tutor, which Usagi preceded to carry it around for the rest of the afternoon, cos she loved it so much. 

Setsuna's present materialized just before dinner was served. It was a box of 12 bottles of wine and large box of Swiss chocolates and a note. 

_'Usagi,_

Sorry I am going to miss this party, but I have to give these stupid sods a slapping in real time. Why they decided to start experimenting with time now, is a fine example of bad timing.

Have fun, enjoy the wine and I will definitely be there for the next one!

Setsuna.

P.S Did I every tell you how much I hate non-directed Universes .'

"I think she gets worse!" commented Usagi. Handing the note to Haruka. 

"Shes definitely has been at the beer again." Was her only comment. 

Makoto opened one of bottles and filled glasses for everyone. 

"A toast." Called Usagi. 

"To a quiet and successful summer!" 

"Cheers" said everyone. 

And for once that's what they got. 

* * *

_Author's notes_

Sorry this has taken so long, had a bad case of normal life get to me, that and large heap of not so normal life getting in the way as well. 

Warwolf commented to me that this bit seems in his words "a bit bitty" to be honest it is. This chapter is mostly a scene setter for later parts. I had to finish it will the birthday though. Again I am not desperately happy with it and when I get a better idea for dealing with it, I will re-write, (that's two bits now) but I really want to get the next part started, so I had to finish it off some how. 

The next bit should be more interesting; it will also be a heck of a lot darker, if I can pull it off. 

Finally 

Not wanting to sound like I am begging, but a few reviews would be nice, if only to see if I am keeping people interested. 

Cheers  
Jo


End file.
